Sun News Digest

SUN NEWS DIGEST

"[The pedestrian] was just minding his business and then he was up in the air, just flipping like a toy."

Eddie Taylor, describing a man hit by a city police officer's vehicle

NATIONAL

Final 9/11 commission reportThe CIA and other U.S. spy agencies face another round of intense criticism this week with the scheduled release of the final report by the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks. The document, which includes extensive new information, is expected to include a detailed narrative that contrasts the emerging threat of al-Qaida with the often-futile attempts by the U.S. intelligence community to confront it. [Page 1a]

Wildfires force more evacuations

Shifting winds surprised firefighters battling a wildfire in Southern California, forcing officials to evacuate 150 homes in the Placerita Canyon area of northern Los Angeles County when a 3,250-acre fire moved closer to the area. [Page 3a]

WORLD

Iraq newspaper to reopen

Iraq's interim prime minister yesterday sanctioned the reopening of a radical cleric's newspaper, which had been closed by American officials in March because they said it was inciting violence. Meanwhile, U.S. forces continued to play a central role yesterday in going after alleged insurgents near turbulent Fallujah, launching an airstrike. [Page 1a]

Palestinians' political turmoil

Palestinian leaders struggled yesterday to resolve the political confusion triggered by the prime minister's attempt to resign. Meanwhile, militants in the Gaza Strip burned down a building belonging to a Palestinian Authority military intelligence service, responding to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's decision to grant a cousin expanded powers over security forces. [Page 10a]

Alleged Army defector in Japan

Former U.S. Army Sgt. Charles Robert Jenkins arrived in Japan yesterday, placing himself within the grasp of U.S. officials who have vowed to prosecute him for allegedly defecting to North Korea almost 40 years ago. Japanese authorities whisked Jenkins to a Tokyo hospital, where he will undergo tests and possible treatment for an undisclosed abdominal illness. The U.S. government has promised to postpone any extradition request. [Page 10a]

MARYLAND

Port Discovery balloon grounded

A day after the helium balloon anchored at Port Discovery stalled in the air and left its passengers to ride out high winds, the tourist attraction's operators said yesterday that it has been indefinitely grounded and city officials said a federal investigation is beginning.

[Page 1a]

Cambridge marks milestone

Cambridge, which made national headlines in 1967 as the scene of civil unrest, elected last week for the first time an African-American majority to the city council. Many leaders, black and white, say the shift is just one element of a growing economic and cultural boom in the Eastern Shore town that for generations has been among the state's poorest. [Page 1b]

SPORTS

O's loss splits 4-game series

Left-hander Mark Hendrickson defeated the Orioles for the second time this month, this time doing it with a four-hit complete-game effort, as the host Tampa Bay Devil Rays earned a split of the four-game series with a 7-2 victory. Starter Dave Borkowski kept the Orioles tied at 2-2 in the sixth, but the Devil Rays knocked him out en route to scoring five runs that inning. [Page 1c]

American wins British Open

Ernie Els failed to win in regulation when he missed a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 18, opening the door for little-known Todd Hamilton to secure the British Open title in a playoff. Hamilton made par on each of the four playoff holes to become the sixth consecutive American to win the Open at Royal Troon in Scotland. [Page 1c]

Kupets, coach on Olympic team

Gaithersburg's Courtney Kupets and Courtney McCool of Missouri headlined the selections to the Olympic women's gymnastics team based on their 1-2 finish at the U.S. trials last month. After the team was announced, USA Gymnastics named Kelli Hill, who coaches Kupets, the head coach of the team. [Page 2c]

TODAY

Sculpture to rise at Meyerhoff

A $275,000 sculpture inspired by a 1910 ballet by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky will soon rise outside Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The Firebird, a 50-foot-tall metal work by Baltimore artist Rodney Carroll, is to be erected this autumn. [Page 1d]

`I, Robot' reigns at box office

I, Robot, which stars Will Smith as a detective in 2035, knocked Spider-Man 2 out of first place at the box office with estimated weekend ticket sales of $52.2 million. A weekend take of $7 million pushed Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 to $93.8 million, making it the documentary box-office champ. [Page 5d]

TODAY ONLINE

MONDAY BUSINESS

Start the week with our expanded Monday Business report. www.baltimoresun.com/mondaybiz

WHAT'S ON TV

Find out what's on the tube tonight with searchable listings, or sign up for a customized schedule. www.baltimoresun.com/tvlistings